Bottle carrier with reinforcing tab



Nov. 29, 1966 G. s. HOLMES 3,288,326

BOTTLE CARRIER WITH REINFORCING TAB Filed March 22, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet1 H f 26 Ill GEORGE S. HOLMES ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1966 G. s. HOLMESBOTTLE CARRIER WITH REINFORGING TAB 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22,1965 INVENTOR GEORGE S. HOLMES ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1966 G. s. HOLMES3,288,326

BOTTLE CARRIER WITH REINFORCING TAB Filed March 22, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet3 INVENTOR GEORGE S. HOLMES ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1966 G. s. HOLMES BOTTLECARRIER WITH REINFORCING TAB 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 22, 1965 Q wQJOi .9 NE JMFW E wm wo V E ww w INVENTOR um M w mm 0 En S E flu G m M Er G :L M M P ow mm om a 3,288,326 EOTTLE CARRIER WITH REINFORCING TABGeorge S. Holmes, Middlesex, Ni, assignor to Continental Can Company,lino, New York, N .Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 22, 1965,Ser. No. 441,454 14 Claims. (Cl. 220-113) This invention relates ingeneral to new and useful improvements in cartons particularly adaptedfor use in packaging a plurality of cylindrical containers, preferablybottles, in two parallel rows to form a readily handleable package, andmore particularly relates to a novel carton of the handle carried type.

In the packaging of certain products, particularly soft drinks, it hasprovedfeasible to form a readily handleable package by means of a cartonof the basket-style which is used both for the purpose of retaining thebottles or like containers in two parallel rows and at the same time tofunction as a carrier for the bttles,the carton having a handle formedintegrally therewith to effect the lifting of the resultant package andthe carrying of same.

Such basket-style carrier cartons generally present two parallel rows ofupwardly opening pockets defined in part by a multi-ply longitudinaldivider and by transverse dividers comprised of straps which areintegral with and are pivotally extended from the outer plies of thelongitudinal divider. The longitudinal divider is normally provided withaligned cut-outs in the plies thereof which define the handle by whichthe package can be lifted or carried.

In lifting and carrying such basket-style carrier cartons it has beenfound, particularly when they have become wet, that there is anundesirable tendency for the load of the bottles carried therein to tearthe carton in the structurally weakened areas of the outer plies of thelongitudinal divider-handle located generally below the cut-outs andnear the points of extension therefrom of the transverse divider straps.

In accordance with this invention it has been found that by providingmeans for reinforcing the structurally weakened areas of the outer pliesof the longitudinal divider-handle located generally below the cut-outsand in the vicinity of the points of extension therefrom of thetransverse divider straps, the undesirable tearing of the carrier cartonat said structurally weakened areas such as normally occurs in the priorart carrier cartons can be greatly mitigated. It has been further foundin accordance with this invention that the most economical and readilyavailable source of such means for reinforcing resides in the materialnormally discarded from the longitudinal divider-handle in providing thecut-outs in the plies thereof which define the handle by which thepackage may be lifted or carried.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a novel andimproved collapsible basket-style carrier carton which presents twoparallel rows of upwardly opening pockets defined in part by a multi-plylongitudinal divider which is provided With aligned openings in theplies thereof forming a handle by which the package may be carried andby transverse dividers comprised of straps which pivotally extendoutwardly from the outer plies of the longitudinal divider-handle,wherein means is provided for reinforcing the structurally weakenedareas of the outer plies of the multi-ply longitudinal divider-handlelocated generally below the aligned openings and in the vicinity of thepoints of extension the-refrom of the transverse divider straps, wherebythe undesirable tearing of the carrier carton at said structurallyweakened areas such as normally occurs in prior art carrier cartons hasbeen overcome.

0- 7 provide a handle by which the carrier carton of the of theinvention can be made.

Patented Nov. 29, 1956 It is an additional object of this invention toprovide a novel and improved carrier of the character stated wherein themeans provided for reinforcing the structurally weakened areas of themulti-ply longitudinal divider handle is comprised of portions of thematerial normally discarded from the longti-udinal divider-handle inproviding the openings in the plies thereof, said portions being securedflatly andby adhesive bonding against said structurally weakened areaswhereby the undesirable tearing of the carrier carton at saidstructurally weakened areas such as normally occurs in prior art carriercartons has been overcome.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel and improvedcarrier of the character stated wherein the means provided forreinforcing the structurally weakened areas of the multi-plylongitudinal dividerhandle is comprised of portions of the materialnormally discarded from the longitudinal divider-handle in providing theopenings in the plies thereof, said portions being folded over andsecured flatly and as by adhesive bonding upon said structurallyweakened areas, whereby the undesirable tearing of the carrier carton atsaid structurally weakened areas such as normally occurs in prior artcarrier cartons has been overcome.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel one-pieceblank for a collapsible basket-style carrier having severance and foldlines defining a substantially rectangular bottom iforming panel, sidewalls forming panels joined to the longitudinal edges of the bottomforming panel, end wall forming panels joined to the opposite ends ofthe side wall forming panels, each of said end wall forming panelsterminating in a connecting flap, complemental. ultimately joinedlongitudinal partition forming panels offstanding from the ultimate topedges of the side walls and being provided with aligned openings thereindefining a handle, transverse partition forming straps defined from theside wall forming panels and joined thereto and to the longitudinalpartition forming panels below the ultimate lower edges of said alignedopenings at their opposite ends respectively along fold lines providinghinge connections with the side wall forming panels and the longitudinalpartition forming panels, and wherein portions of the blank rformingmaterial displaced in providing the aligned openings are retained inattachment with the longitudinal partition forming panels along alongitudinal fold line about which said portions may be folded intocontact with the areas of the longitudinal forming panels below theultimate lower edges of said aligned openings.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel one-pieceblank of the character stated wherein the edges of the longitudinalpartition forming panels and the edges of the foldable portions ofdisplaced blank forming material are so shaped as to lie in asubstantially interlocking relationship when said longitudinal partitionforming panels are ultimately joined and when said portions are foldedinto contact with the areas of said longitudinal partition formingpanels below the ultimate lower edges of the aligned openings in saidlongitudinal partition forming panels.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims, and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the inner face of a onepiece material blanksheet from which the carrier carton The view also shows the formation ofthe aligned openings in, the blank sheet which invention may be liftedand carried and further shows the areas of the blank sheet to which glueor some other suitable adhesive is applied during the first adhesiveapplying operation prior to the performance of the first fol-dingoperation.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the blank (rotated 90 degrees to the rightfrom the view of FIGURE 1 and with certain of its areas not immediatelyessential to the description, such as the bottom panel, broken away)after the completion of the first folding operation.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the blank similar to that shown in FIGURE 2after the second folding step has been performed and shows the areas onparts of the handle forming panels and the riser panels to which anadhesive has been applied before the performance of the third and fourthfolding step.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the whole blank after completion of the thirdfolding step, and immediately preceding the performance of the fourthand final folding step.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a cut-away plan view of the blank showing thecompletion of the fourth and final folding step wherein the four handleforming panels or plies are secured together by folding the joiner flapwhich extends from the upper left handle forming panel (as seen inFIGURE 1) over the tops of the other three handle forming panels andsecuring it to the outer face of the lower left handle forming panel (asseen in FIG- URE l) with glue or other suitable adhesive.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the erected carrier carton showing thevertically disposed handle member comprised of the four handle formingpanels (plies) and extending above the carton and also serving inconjunction with the strap panels which extend transversely therefrominto connection with the side panels to form two parallel rows ofupwardly extending pockets into which cylindrical containers, such asbottles, may be inserted.

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken vertically of theerected carrier carton along line 77 of FIGURE 6 showing the verticallydisposed handle member extending above the carrier carton, and in dottedlines the longitudinal location of the portions of material displacedbut not completely severed from the handle forming panels in forming thealigned finger receiving openings therein. This view also shows theriser panels at one end of the carrier carton as being locked under thebottom panel.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view of the erectedcarrier carton along line 88 of FIGURE 7 and shows the transverselocations of the handle forming panels, the material not completelysevered from said handle forming members in forming the hand grip spacestherein, and the strap panels.

FIGURE 9 is a similar view to that shown in FIGURE 8 only it is takenalong line 99 of FIGURE 7.

Referring to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIGURES 1-5there is shown a blank generally indicated by the numeral 12, forforming a collapsible carrier carton generally indicated by the numeral14, which is shown erected in FIGURES 6-9.

The blank 12 is preferably made from paperboard or other suitableflexible material and includes a bottom panel 16 having a locking notch20 at opposite ends of a longitudinal fold line 18, which bisects thebottom panel 16. A pair of side forming panels 22 and 24 are connectedto the bottom panel 16 along a pair of longitudinal fold lines 26 and28, respectively. The side panels 22 and 24 are each provided with afirst strap forming panel 30 and a second strap forming panel 32. Eachof the strap forming panels 30 is defined by a pair of transverselydisposed and longitudinally spaced fold lines 34 and 36 and a pair ofoblique severance lines 38 and 40. The strap forming panels 32 are eachdefined by a pair of longitudinally spaced and transversely disposedfold lines 42 and 44, and a pair of oblique sever- 4 ance lines 46 and48. Each of the side panels 22 and 24 is defined by the respectivelongitudinal fold lines 26 or 28, a perforated transverse fold line 50,the severance line 38, the fold line 36, the fold line 42, the severanceline 46, and a perforated fold line 56.

Each of the side panels 22, 24 is provided along the fold lines 50 and56 with end forming panels 58 and 60 respectively. Each of the endforming panels 58 is provided with a riser panel 62 which is connectedto the end forming panel 58 along a perforated transverse fold line 64and has a locking tab 66 at the inwardly disposed end thereof. Each ofthe end forming panels 60 is provided with a riser panel 68 which isattached to the end forming panel 60 along a perforated transverse foldline 70 and has a locking tab 72 at the inwardly disposed end thereof.

As seen in FIGURE 1, an upper left or first handle forming panel 74 isprovided and is connected along the transverse fold line 34 to the strapforming member 30 which is in turn connected along the transverse foldline 36 to the side panel 22. The first handle forming panel 74 isseparated from the end forming panel 58 along an irregularly obliqueseverance line 76 and is connected to the riser panel 62 along theperforated fold line 64. The first handle forming panel 74 is separatedfrom the side panel 22 along the oblique severance lines 38 and 40 andby a pentagonal-shaped space 80 which results from the total removal ofblank forming material along two oblique severance lines 81 and 82 arecolinear with the oblique severance lines 40 and 48 respectively, alongtwo transverse severance lines 83 and 84 and along a longitudinalseverance line 85. The first handle forming panel 74 is also providedwith a joiner flap 86 which is connected to it along a perforatedlongitudinal fold line 87. The first handle forming panel 74 is alsoprovided with a finger receiving opening. Both the purpose of the joinerflap 86 and the formation of the finger receiving opening of the handleforming panel 74 will be described at length later below.

The first handle forming panel 74 is connected to an upper right orsecond handle forming panel 88 along a transverse fold line 90. Thesecond handle forming panel 88 is connected along the fold line 44 tothe strap forming panel 32 which is, in turn, connected along thetransverse fold line 42 to the side panel 22. The second handle formingpanel 88 is separated from the side panel 22 along the oblique severancelines 46 and 48 and is separated from the end forming panel 60 adjacentto said side panel 22 along an irregular severance line 92. The secondhandle forming panel 88 is separated from the riser panel member 68along a severance line of stair-step configuration 94. The second handleforming panel 88 is also provided with a finger receiving opening, theformation of which will be described in detail later below.

A lower left or third handle forming panel 96 is provided and isconnected along the transverse fold line 34 to the strap forming panel30 which is, in turn, connected along the transverse fold line 36 to theside panel 24. The third handle forming panel 96 is separated from theend forming panel 58 along an irregular severance line 98 and isconnected to the riser panel 62 along the perforated fold line 64. Thethird handle forming panel 96 is separated from the side panel 24 alongthe oblique severance lines 38 and 40 and by a pentagonal-shaped space100 that results from the total removal of blank forming material alongoblique severance lines 101 and 162 which are colinear with severancelines 40 and 48, respectively, two transverse severance lines 103 and104, and a longitudinal severance line 105. The third handle formingpanel 96 is also provided With a finger receiving opening the formationof which will be described in detail below.

The third handle forming panel 96 is connected to a lower left or fourthhandle forming panel 106 along a transverse fold line 1%. The fourthhandle forming panel 1116 is connected along the fold line 44 to thestrap forrning panel 32 which is, in turn, connected along the fold line42 to the side panel 24. The fourth handle forming panel 196 isseparated from the side panel 24 along the oblique severance lines 46and 48 and is separated from the end forming panel 611 adjacent to sidepanel 24 along an irregular severance line 1111. The fourth handleforming panel 1116 is separated from the riser panel 63 adjacent to sidepanel 24 along a severance line of stair-step configuration 112. Thefourth handle forming panel 186 is also provided with a finger receivingopening, the formation of which will be described in detail below.

As seen in FIGURE 1, the four handle forming panels 74, 88, 96 and 111-6are provided with aligned finger receiving openings as follows:

In the first handle forming panel 74, a tongue-shaped flap or centerportion 114 is separated from the first handle forming panel 74 along acrescent-shaped severance line 116, but remains connected to the firsthandle forming panel 74 along a longitudinal fold line 118. Anirregularly shaped cut-out or right portion 120 of the blank formingmaterial is completely separated and removed from the first handleforming panel 74 along a cane-shaped severance line 122, a longitudinalseverance line 124, a Z-shaped severance line 126 and a section of thecrescent-shaped severance line 116, leaving an open space. Anirregularly shaped tab or left portion 128 of the blank formingmaterialis separated from the first handle forming panel 74 along acane-shaped severance line 131), a section of the crescent-shapedseverance line 116, and the Z-shaped severance line 126, but remainsconnected to the first handle forming panel 74 along a longitudinal foldline 132.

In the second handle forming panel '88, a substantially rectangular tabportion 134 is separated from the second handle forming panel -88 alonga transverse severance line 13 6, a longitudinal severance line 138 anda section of the irregular severance line 92. The tab portion 134remains connected to the second handle forming panel 88 along aperforated transverse fold line 140 and is, of course, separated fromthe riser panel 68 along the lower section of the severance line 94.

In the third handle forming panel 96, a tongue-shaped flap or centerportion 142 is separated from the third handle forming panel 96 along acrescent-shaped severance line 143 but remains connected to the thirdhandle forming panel 96 along a longitudinal fold line 144. Anirregularly-shaped cutout or right portion 145 is completely separatedand removed from the third handle forming panel 96 along a cane-shapedseverance line 146, a longitudinal severance line 147, a transverseseverance line 148 and a section of the crescent-shaped severance line143 leaving an open space. An irregularly shaped tab or left portion 149is separated from the third handle forming panel 96 along a cane-shapedseverance line 1513, a section of the crescent-shaped severance line143, and the transverse line 148. The tab portion 149 remains connectedto the third handle forming panel along a longitudinal fold line 151.

In the fourth handle forming panel 106, a single irregularly-shapedportion 154 of the blank forming material is completely separated anddiscarded from the fourth handle forming panel 1116 along a longitudinalseverance line 155, a transverse severance line 156, and an irregularseverance line 157 leaving an open space. Panel 1116 is also separatedfrom the end forming panel 60 along the irregular severance line 111 andis separated from the riser panel 68 along a section of the severanceline 112.

The blank 12, described above, is formed into the collapsible carriercarton 14, as seen in FIGURES 46, by a sequence of two adhesive applyingand four folding operations which will become apparent from aconsideration of FIGURES 1 through 5 and the following description.

FIGURE 1 shows appropriate areas of the riser panels "68 and of the fourhandle forming panels 74, 88, 96, and 1114, and the tab portions 128 and149 of the handle forming panels 74 and 96 respectively which have glueor other suitable adhesive applied thereto during the first adhesiveapplication and prior to performance of the first folding operation.

FIGURE 2 shows a plan view of the blank 12 (rotated degrees from theview of FIGURE 1 and with certain of its areas not immediately essentialto the description, such as the bottom panel 16, broken away) after thefirst folding operation has been completed. During the first foldingoperation the tab portions 128 and 149 are folded over along the foldlines 132 and 151 respectively, and their inner faces are secured flatlyto the inner faces of the handle forming panels 74 and 96 respectivelyfor the purpose of reinforcing said handle forming panels in the areasapproximately opposite the transverse fold lines 34 for the strap panels311. Simultaneously during the first folding operation, the handleforming panels 88 and 106 are folded over along the fold lines 91) and108 respectively and their inner faces are secured flatly to the innerfaces of the handle forming panels 74 and 96 [with their edges asdefined by the irregular severance lines 92 and 157 respectively in asubstantially interlocking relationship to the edges of the tab portions128 and 149. Concurrently with the folding of the handle forming panels88 and 166, the respective strap panels '32 attached thereto are alsofolded over along the fold lines 42 which are colinear with the foldlines 90 and 108.

FIGURE 3 shows the blank 12 after completion of the second foldingoperation and shows selected areas to which adhesive is then appliedduring the second adhesive application operation in preparation for thethird folding operation.

The second folding operation is performed by simultaneously folding theriser panels 62 along the fold lines 64 so that their inner faces aresecured flatly to the inner faces of handle forming panels 74 and 96respectively and by folding the side panels 60 along the fold lines 56so that the inner faces of the riser panels 63 are secured flatly to theouter faces of the handle forming panels 88 and 196 respectively, and byfolding over the tab portion 134 so that its outer face rests flatlyupon the outer face of the second handle forming panel 88 and the tabportion 128 of the first handle forming panel 74.

After the completion of the second folding operation, adhesive isapplied, as shown in FIGURE 3, to selected areas of the riser panels 62and 68 and to the second handle forming panel 88 and its tab portion134, and adhesive is applied to the total area of the inner face of thejoiner flap 86.

FIGURE 4 shows the blank 12 after completion of the third foldingoperation. During the third folding operation, the blank 12 is foldedalong the longitudinal fold line 18 across the center of the bottompanel 16 to secure flatly together the outer faces of the riser panels62 and 68, the handle forming panels 88 and 106 and the tab portions 134and 149.

FIGURE 5 shows the blank 12 after completion of the fourth and finalfolding operation of folding over the joiner flap 86 along longitudinalfold line 87 flatly securing its inner face to the outer face of thethird handle forming panel 96.

Upon completion of the above described two adhesive applying and fourfolding operations, the blank 12 has been transformed into the carriercarton 14 which is in a collapsed condition as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.It is in this collapsed or flattened condition that the carrier cartonis shipped to the customer.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the carrier carton 14 in an erectedform. Opposed forces are applied to the side forming panels 22 and 24causing them to move apart. This causes the end forming panels 58 and 60to move apart and the bottom forming panel 16 to expand along the foldline 18. Continued application of the opposed forces described abovecauses the carrier 14 to be erected in the form shown in FIGURE 6. Thecarrier 14 has a tendency to collapse but is kept from doing so byengaging the locking tabs 66 and 72 located on the riser panels 62 and68 respectively to the underside of the bottom panel 16 inwardly of thenotch 20. See FIG- URE 7.

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken vertically of theerected carrier carton 14 taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6 showingthe vertically disposed multi-ply handle member 160 extending above thecarton and showing in shadow the longitudinal location in the erectedcarrier carton 14 of the tab portions 128, 149, and 134 produced duringthe formation of the finger receiving openings in the handle formingpanels 74, 96, and 88 which comprise respectively two outer plies andone inner ply of the handle member 160.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view of the erectedcarrier carton 14 taken along line 88 of FIGURE 7 showing the transverselocations of the first and third handle forming panels 74 and 96respectively which form the two outer plies of the multi-ply handlemember 160 and of the second and fourth handle forming panels 88 and 106respectively which form the two inner plies of the multi-ply handlemember 160. Also shown in FIGURE 8 are the transverse locations of thetab portions 128, 134, and 149, of the strap panels 32, of the tongueportions 114 and 142, and of the joiner flap 86 as taken along the line88 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a similar view to that shown in FIGURE 8, only it is takenalong line 9-9 of FIGURE 6.

As noted above it has been found in lifting and carrying thebasket-style carrier cartons disclosed in the prior art, particularlywhen such cartons are wet, that there is an undesirable tendency for theload of the bottles or such to tear the carton at the structurallyweakened areas below the finger receiving openings and in the vicinityof the points where the transverse divider straps extend from the outerplies of the multi-ply longitudinal divider-handle member. As statedabove, it is an object of this invention to eliminate this long existingproblem by providing a novel collapsible carton carrier made from aone-pieced blank wherein the structurally weakened areas of the handlemember 160, e.g. as at X as seen in FIGURE 6, below the finger receivingopening 162 and near where the transverse divider strap panels 30 extendfrom the outer plies 74 and 96 are reinforced, whereby the previouslynoted undesirable tendency for the load of bottles or such to tear priorart versions of such a carton carrier at such weakened areas is greatlymitigated.

Although it should be understood that the above-mentioned reinforcementof the longitudinal divider-handle member may be provided by a varietyof means, it has been found in accordance with this invention that the Imost economical and readily available source of such reinforcementresides in folding ofthe tab portions 128 and 149 produced during thepreviously described formation of the finger receiving openings of thefirst and third handle forming panels 74 and 96 respectively along theirrespective fold lines 132 and 151 and securing their inner faces flatlyto the inner faces of said handle forming panels 74 and 96 with glue orsome other suitable adhesive during the previously described firstfolding operation in the construction of the novel collapsible carriercarton of the invention from a one-piece blank.

In addition to providing the reinforcement of the structurally weakenedareas X of the outer plies 74 and 96 of the handle member 160 asdescribed above, the invention described herein further provides,through its novel construction of the inner plies 88 and 106 of saidhandle member 160, additional reinforcement of these same structurallyweakened areas X of the outer plies 74 and 96 of said handle member 160.As best seen in FIG- URES 7 and 8, the edges of the inner plies (handleforming panels 88 and 106) of the handle member 160 are so shaped alongtheir respective severance lines 92 and 157 that when they are foldedabout their respective fold lines and 108 and their inner faces aresecured flatly to the inner faces of the outer plies (handle formingpanels 74 and 96 respectively) during the previously described firstfolding operation, said inner plies 88 and 106 are disposed in asubstantially interlocking relationship with the tab portions 128 and149 of the respective outer plies '74 and 96 which during the samepreviously described first folding operation are simultaneously foldedover their respective fold lines 132 and 151 and have their inner facessecured flatly to the inner faces of said outer plies 74 and 96. Thissubstantially interlocking relationship is also shown in FIGURES 2 and3. This substantially interlocking relationship between the tab portions128 and 149 and the inner plies 88 and 106 respectively provides anadded strength protection for the handle member in that, should a tearoccur in the area reinforced by the tabs 128 and 149, the tear would belimited at the point of intersection of the tap with its respectivesubstantially interlocking inner ply.

The novel carrier carton described herein can be made from paperboard,heavy paper, plastic, or other similar materials.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention is welladapted to carry out the ends and objects hereinbefore set forth, andthat there has been provided a novel one-piece blank for a collapsiblebasket-style carrier having severance and fold lines defining asubstantially rectangular bottom forming panel, side wall forming panelsjoined to the longitudinal edges of the bottom forming panel, end wallforming panels joined to the opposite ends of the side wall formingpanels, each of said end wall forming panels terminating in a connectingflap, complemental ultimately joined longitudinal partition formingpanels offstanding from the ultimate top edges of the side walls andbeing provided with aligned openings therein defining a handle,transverse partition forming straps defined from the side wall formingpanels and joined thereto and to the longitudinal partition formingpanels below the ultimate lower edges of said aligned openings at theiropposite ends respectively along fold lines providing hinge connectionswith the side wall forming panels and the longitudinal partition formingpanels, portions of the blank forming material displaced in providingthe aligned openings are retained in attachment with the longitudinalpartition forming panels along a longitudinal fold line about which saidportions may be folded into contact with the areas of the longitudinalforming panels below the ultimate lower edges of said aligned openingsand wherein the edges of the longitudinal partition forming panels andthe edges of the foldable portions of displaced blank forming materialare so shaped as to lie in a substantially interlocking relationshipwhen said longitudinal partition forming panels are ultimately joinedand when said portions are folded into contact with the areas of saidlongitudinal partition forming panels below the ultimate lower edges ofthe aligned openings in said longitudinal partition forming panels.Therefore, tearing of the carrier carton at said structurally weakenedareas such as normally occurs in prior art carrier cartons formed ofone-piece blanks has been overcome in an economical and practical mannerby using available material of a one-piece blank.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bottle carrier of the type presenting two rows of upwardlyopening pockets defined in part by a longitudinal divider comprised offour parallel plies and transverse dividers extending outwardlytherefrom, and wherein said longitudinal divider has aligned openings inthe plies thereof defining a handle, the improvement residing in foldingover material displaced but not totally detached from the outer two ofsaid plies in the forming of said openings against normally weak areasof said outer two 9 of said plies of said longitudinal divider andbonding said material thereto and in shaping the edges of said materialand of the inner two of said plies such that said edges shall lie in asubstantially interlocking relationship to one another.

2. A collapsible basket-style carrier for bottles or the like, saidcarrier being made of a one-piece blank of flexible sheet material andincluding a substantially rectangular bottom forming panel having alocking notch at opposite ends of a longitudinal fold line whichsubstantially bisects said bottom forming panel into two sections, theinner faces of which are folded adjacent to one another along saidlongitudinal fold lines when the carrier is collapsed, side wall formingpanels joined along a fold line to the longitudinal edges of saidsections oppozite said longitudinal fold lines, end wall forming panelsjoined along perforated transverse fold lines to the opposite ends ofsaid side wall forming panels, each of said end wall forming panelsterminating in a riser panel joined thereto along a perforatedtransverse fold line, the outer faces of each opposing pair of saidriser panels being bonded together with glue or other suitable adhesiveand each of said riser panels being provided at its bottom with alocking tab for engagement with said locking notches, a multi-plylongitudinal partition member offstanding from the top edges of saidside wall forming panels and joined at its opposite ends to said riserpanels, said longitudinal partition'forming member having blank-formingmaterial displaced from plies thereof to provide aligned openingsdefining a handle by which the carrier may be carried, a pair oftransverse partition forming strap panels defined from each of said sidewall forming panels and joined thereto and to the longitudinal partitionforming member at their opposite ends respectively along transverse foldlines providing hinge connections with the side wall forming panels andthe longitudinal partition forming member below the lower edges of saidaligned openings, means are provided for reinforcing the normallystructurally weakened areas of said multi-ply longitudinal partitionmember, said areas being located below the lower edges of said alignedopenings and in the vicinity of the hinge connections of said transversepartition forming strap panels to said longitudinal partition formingmember whereby the tendency of said carrier to tear at said normallystructurally weakened areas is greatly reduced, said means are comprisedof portions of the blank-forming material displaced in providing saidaligned openings, said portions being retained attached to said pliesalong longitudinal fold lines at the lower edges of said openings aboutwhich said portions are folded against and bonded to said structurallyweakened areas, said means comprising sections of the inner of saidplies which are bonded to said structurally weakened areas in asubstantially interlocked relationship with said portions, said meansfurther being comprised of sections of said riser panels which arebonded to said structurally weakened areas in a substantiallyintersecting relationship with said portions, said means are furthercomprised of sections of the outer of said plies which are formed of agreater than normal longitudinal dimension, the portions of said areasat which said outer of said plies are bonded to said portions, riserpanels, and inner of said plies.

3. In a bottle carrier of the type presenting two rows of upwardlyopening pockets defined in part by a longitudinal divider comprised of aplurality of plies and transverse dividers extending outwardlytherefrom, and wherein said longitudinal divider has aligned openings inthe plies thereof defining a handle, the improvement residing in foldingover material displaced but not totally detached from the outer two ofsaid plies in the forming of said openings against normally weakcarriers of said outer two of said plies of said longitudinal dividerand bonding said material thereto and in shaping the edges of saidmaterial and of the inner two of said plies such that said edges ll)shall lie in a substantially interlocked relationship to one another.

4. In a bottle carrier of the type presenting two rows of upwardlyopening pockets defined in part by a longitudinal divider comprised of aplurality of generally parallel plies and transverse dividers extendingoutwardly therefrom, and wherein said longitudinal divider has alignedopenings in the plies thereof defining a handle, the aligned openingshaving associated lowermost edges, the improvement residing in foldingover material along first fold lines of each of the outer two of saidplies into underlying adjacent relationship to the lowermost edges ofsaid openings, folding over material displaced but not totally detachedfrom the outer two of said plies in the forming of said openings againstnormally weak areas of said outer two of said plies of said longitudinaldivider adjacent and below said lowermost edges, and bonding all of saidmaterial together whereby the portion of the longitudinal dividerbeneath and along the entire lowermost edge of said openings is definedby an equal number of plies.

5. In a bottle carrier of the type presenting two rows of upwardlyopening pockets defined in part by a longitudinal divider comprised of aplurality of plies and transverse dividers extending outwardlytherefrom, and wherein said longitudianl divider has aligned openings inthe plies thereof defining a handle opening, the improvement comprisinga first portion of material of an outermost one of said plies beingfolded about a first fold lineinto overlying relationship to saidoutermost ply, said first portion of material having a terminal endportion remote from said first fold line, a second portion of materialdisplaced from but not totally detached from one of said plies in theforming of one of said openings, said second portion of material beingdisplaced by folding along a second fold line substantially normal tosaid first fold line, said first and second portions of material beingin a common plane, and means bonding said first and second portions ofmaterials in sandwiched relationship between said outermost and anotherply of said longitudinal divider.

6. The combination as defined in claim 5 wherein said terminal endportion of said first portion of material is disposed adjacent saidsecond portion of material.

7. The combination as defined in claim 5 wherein another portion ofmaterial of another outermost one of said plies is folded about a thirdfold line into overlying relationship to said another outermost ply, andsaid bonding means further bonds said another portion of material tosaid another outermost ply.

8. The combination as defined in claim 7 wherein said first and thirdfold lines are generally in parallel relationship to each other and tothe planes of said plies.

9. A one-piece blank for a collapsible carrier, said blank comprising abottom panel, a side panel joined to said bottom panel along each offirst and second fold lines, an end panel joined to each side panelalong third and fourth fold lines which are generally normal to saidfirst and second fold lines, transverse partition forming strap panelsdefined from each of said side panels, a longitudinal partition formingpanel joined by said strap panels to each of said side panels, at leastone of said longitudinal partition forming panels being defined by amain panel portion and a minor panel portion joined to said main panelportion along a fifth fold line generally parallel to said third andfourth .fold line whereby said minor panel portion is foldable intooverlying relationship to said main panel portion, said main panelportion including a handle-forming opening, a reinforcing panel formedfrom material displaceable from but not totally detached from said mainpanel portion, said reinforcing panel being joined to said main panelportion along a sixth fold line whereby said reinforcing panel isfoldable to a position beneath said ultimate lower edge of saidhandle-forming opening, said minor panel terminating in a terminal edge,and the distance between said fifth fold line and said terminal edgecorresponding to the distance between said fifth fold line and an edgeportion of said reinforcing panel whereby said minor panel is foldablealong said fifth fold line to a position underlying the ultimate loweredge of said handle-forming opening adjacent and coplanar with saidreinforcing panels.

10. The one-piece blank as defined in claim 9 wherein said terminal edgeand said edge portion of the reinforcing panel are generallycomplementary contoured for cooperative folding relationship in a commonplane upon the folding thereof about said fifth and sixth fold lines.

11. The one-piece blank as defined in claim 9 wherein another of saidlongitudinal partition forming panels is defined by another main panelportion and another minor panel portion joined to said another mainpanel portion along a seventh fold line generally parallel to said thirdand fourth fold lines whereby said another minor panel portion isfoldable into overlying relationship to said another main panel portion,said another main panel portion including another handle-formingopening, another reinforcing panel formed from material displaceablefrom but not totally detached from said another main panel portion, saidanother reinforcing panel being joined to said another main panelportion along an eighth fold line whereby said another reinforcing panelis foldable to a position beneath the ultimate lower edge of saidanother handle-forming opening, said another minor panel terminating ina terminal edge, and the distance between said seventh fold line andsaid another terminal edge corre- 30 spending to the distance betweensaid seventh fold line and an edge portion of said another reinforcingpanel 12 whereby said another minor panel is foldable along said seventhfold line to a position underlying the ultimate lower edge of saidanother handle-forming opening adjacent and coplanar with said anotherreinforcing panel.

12. The one-piece blank as defined in claim 9 wherein said firstmentioned and another reinforcing panels are in longitudinal alignment.

13. The one-piece blank as defined in claim 9 wherein said sixth foldline is generally parallel to said first and second fold lines, and saidsixth fold line is disposed along the ultimate lower edge of saidhandle-forming opening.

14. The one-piece blank as defined in claim 13 wherein said terminaledge and said edge portion of the reinforcing panel are generallycomplementary contoured for cooperative folding relationship in a commonplane upon the folding thereof about said fifth and sixth fold lines.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,755,960 7/1956Kramer 2201 13 2,765,100 10/1956 De Maria 220-1 13 2,772,020 11/ 1956Kramer 2201l3 2,776,072 1/1957 Forrer 2201l3 2,781,150 2/1957 Bergstein22952 X 3,101,865 8/1963 Levkolf et al 220113 3,130,861 4/1964 Arneson2201 13 3,187,938 6/1965 Holmes 220-l 13 3,203,585 8/1965 Wood 220-111 XGEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A BOTTLE CARRIER OF THE TYPE PRESENTING TWO ROWS OF UPWARDLYOPENING POCKETS DEFINED IN PARTY BY A LONGITUDINAL DIVIDER COMPRISED OFFOUR PARALLEL PLIES AND TRANSVERSE DIVIDERS EXTENDING OUTWARDLYTHEREFROM, AND WHEREIN SAID LONGITUDINAL DIVIDER HAS ALIGNED OPENINGS INTHE PLIES THEREOF DEFINING A HANDLE, THE IMPROVEMENT RESIDING IN FOLDINGOVER MATERIAL DISPLACED BUT NOT TOTALLY DETACHED FROM THE OUTER TWO OFSAID PLIES IN THE FORMING OF SAID OPENINGS AGAINST NORMALLY WEAK AREASOF SAID OUTER TWO OF SAID PLIES OF SAID LONGITUDINAL DIVIDER AND BONDINGSAID MATERIAL THERETO AND IN SHAPING THE EDGES OF SAID MATERIAL AND OFTHE INNER TWO OF SAID PLIES SUCH THAT SAID EDGES SHALL LIE IN ASUBSTANTIALLY INTERLOCKING RELATIONSHIP TO ONE ANOTHER.